American Family Field funding, fee proposed for non-Brewers events

AmFam Field funding, ticket fee proposed for non-Brewers events

The Wisconsin Senate proposed tweaks to its American Family Field funding plan that would impose a surcharge on tickets to non-Brewers events.

MADISON, Wis. - The Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate proposed changes Tuesday, Nov. 7 to the American Family Field funding bill that could direct less tax money to the effort if it becomes law. It would also add a ticket tax for non-Brewers game events.

The bill was in danger of striking out in the Senate after it passed the Assembly with a bipartisan vote.

"It takes the state contribution down a little bit, it brings the Brewers' contribution up, creating an audit component, so we should be good to go, we’re hoping," said State Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac), the bill's sponsor in the Wisconsin Senate.

The Senate's bill would create a ticket surcharge of $2 per ticket and $8 per luxury box or suite ticket for certain events held at American Family Field. It would not apply to Brewers games, charitable events, political conventions or benefits for military, police or EMS.

"If it’s a small ticket fee, I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I think if it’s allocated to reducing the state’s share, it’s a win for everybody," said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester).

That money will add up. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates, over the life of the team's lease, the ticket surcharge could total $14 million.

The new proposal then cuts what the state pays for American Family Field repairs and improvements; it was $411 million in the Assembly bill, and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau said it would drop to $382 million in the Senate version.

The bill would have the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County each pay $67 million for ballpark improvements, but the money would come from slashing the administrative fee the state charges to administer local sales taxes.

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The updated bill would also require the Brewers to pay an extra $10 million. When adding new and current payments, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau said that would total $150 million – and the team would extend its lease through 2050.

"Hopefully we can get to a solution," said Feyen.

FOX6 News asked State Sen. Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) if the bill is going to pass the Senate with the amendments. He said: "I hope not."

He represents the area around American Family Field.

"The taxpayers are on the hook for most of the costs. The Brewers, the business community, are going to have to come up with more," he said.

American Family Field

The Senate proposal will also require audits every two years of the governmental body that owns the majority of the ballpark.

The Assembly version required the board study possible developments around AmFam Field, what supporters of the proposal have pitched as the "Beer District."

The Wisconsin Senate changes for the AmFam bill would add this: "The redevelopment report shall contain a recommendation supporting or opposing a potential payment in lieu of general property taxes for any development of the baseball park facilities of the district other than a baseball stadium."

A Senate committee will meet Wednesday to discuss and vote on the funding bill. Republican and Democratic senators are meeting behind closed doors where they're talking about the updated bill, with a final vote in the full Senate likely next week.

Since the Senate proposes changes, the Wisconsin Assembly would have to vote on the updates.

"Anything that helps to get the bill through. It seems to me, we have been talking about a non-Brewer event ticket fee. And so that is something we’ve discussed in this house as well," Speaker Vos said. "If it can get through the Senate, I’m sure we’ll support it in the Assembly."